Improvement in revolving-breech fire-arms



2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

NORTH & SKINNER.

Revolver.

Pa.tented June 1 1852.

chargecl.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HENRY S. NORTH, OF MIDDLETO\VN, AND OHAUNOEY D. SKINNER, OF HAD- DA1\I, OONNEOTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVOLVING-BREECH FlRE-ARMS.

Specificalion lor1ning part of Letters Patent No. 8.982. dnted Jnne 1, 1852.

1'0 all whom it mag] concern Be it known that we, HENRY S. NORTII, of Middletown, ancl CHAUNCEY D. SKINNER, of Haddam, in the county of Middlesex and State ot'Connecticnt, have invented new and nseful improvements in the constrnction of what are nsnally known as Revolving or Repeating Fire-Arms and we hereby declare that the following is a full ind exact desoription thereol.

We refer to the annexed drawings as a pari:

of this specification.

Fignre 1 represents the pistol or gun in its usual position after hnving been disoharged. Fig. 2 represents t with the guardlever 1nd sliding crotch drawn down for the purpose of revolving and eocking the piece. Fig. 3 rep resents it with the gnardlever pnshed np, leming ic cocked and in n position to be dis- Fig. 4 represcnts the back face of the rotating breech wilh the inclined planes made in triangnlar form. Fig 5 represents the sliding crotch with the sliding stnd projecting fronr the front faee of the said crotch. Fig. 6 represents the guard-lever with the stud and cnrved oblong hole by nhich it is attached to the sliding crotch; also, the oblong exishole at the i'orward end of it, by which in is a-ttached 10 the barrel-plate, the said holes being made cnrved an l oblong for the pnrpose of allowing the said lever to recede when it is drawn down, thns causing the sliding crotch to be drawn vertically rom its nsunl position. Fig. 7 represents the forward end or face of the look-frame with the reoess (showing its irregnlar form) for the sliding crotch to work in, allowing it to move vertically and horizontally. Fig. 8 represents the back thee of the barrel-plate with the spring in it, which serves te prees the breech and crotch back from the barrel. Il also serves to prevent therotating breech from tnrning backward when the sliding crotch is 'orced up by the end of it operating against the circnlar ratehet made on the front face of the rototing breech. It also represents the studs and mortise to whieh the axis of the gnard-lever is fixed; also', the hole where the charges are loaded into the rotating breech and the hole where the barrelis attached to said plate. Fig. 9 represents the link connecting the guardlever wth the hammer. Fig. 10 represents the hammen Fig.

ll represents the front face of the rotating breech, with the six channbers to receive the charges. At the end of each chamber, where they conneeb With the barrel, is arecess counter snnk in sueh manner as to 'rm a l0nble connection with each chamher and the barrel, viz: A porion of the rotating breech is made within the reeess to project and fit tight into the ehamber of the barrel and the outside circle of the recess is made to fit the out side circle of the barrel, thus f0rnning a double connection between the breech and the barrel. By means of the recesses and connection with the barrel made in this wny l partition is formed bet;ween eaoh chamber of the rotating breech, which serves to prevent; lateral fire (when the piece is explocled) in case the connection between the breech and barrel should not be perfectly tight, thus rendering it safe and secure, and not liable to explode more than one charge at a time. It also represents the exishole and the circular ratchet aronnd said axishole.

A represents therotating chambered breech, made of steel or other metal, in the front face of 'whioh is made six chnmbers (marked 1) to receive the charges. Through thecenter of the revolving breech is made 21 hole, 2, for its axis. Aronnd the axis-hole is L circnlar mtcheis, 4, on which 2m spring operates for the purpose of holding it to its place, and to prevent its turning backward when the sliding crotch is forced up to its place. On the back face of the rotating breeeh are six inclined planes, made in n triangular form and marked 3, made for the pnrpose of rotating the breeeh by the operation of the sliding stnd 4, projecting from the front face of the sliding crotch Bacting upon the inolined planes, so that by drawing down the sliding crotch B by means ofits connection with the cnrved oblong hole 5 in the guard-lever C the said breech shall be rotated suflcieniz to bring a located chamber in line with the ehmnber in the barrel.

B represen'ns the sliding crotch 3 and its sliding stand 4-, which is made of iron or steel, and is intended to held the rotating breech to its place, snstain the rec0il when fired, ancl rotate the breech when drawn down. The crotch is moved to and from its place by the guardlever C. At the lower end of the crotch is a the front part of mortse, 6, by wheh it is conneeted with the guard-lever 0 by means of a pin or screw passingthrongh aholein the mortise and the cnrved oblong hole 5 in said guard-lever.

O represents the guard-lever, the back part; whereof, 7, forms the bow of the gnard which covers the trigger 8. At the forWard end is an oblong hole, 9, whieh serves for its axis and to connect it with the barrelplate. Back from said axis, and near where the curve or bow which covers the trigger commenees, is a stad and onrved oblong hole, 5, made to fit the mortise 6 in the sliding eroteh, so that the gnard is made to operate as a lever to draw the crotch from and to move it to its place. Back from the cnwed oblong hole 5 is an axishole, 10, to whieh a link, D, is attaohed, conneoting it with the hammer E, thus cansing the mainspring 11 to hold the guard-lever and croteh firmly up to their plaees, and also to admit of the 1iieee being cocked by drawing down the guard-lever.

D represents a link, made of iron or steel, als is made a hole, 10,

the lower end of which whieh serves as an axis and to oonneetit with the gnard-lever. The said link is designed to connect the gnard-lever and hammer together. E represents the hammer, the back end, 12, of which is formed in sneh a marmer as to keep the link from beooming detached, but still allowing it to slide np and down freely when the hammer is ooeked.

F represents the look-frame, made of iron or other metal. In the forward end or fase of it is made a reoess, 13, of irregnlar form, for the -sliding orotch to work in, the upper part -(marked s) projeeting forward for the pnrpose of inclining the orotch and rotating breeeh forward, and conneeting it; with the barrel When the crotch is pressed up. Tbe lower part (marked T) is sunk deeper into the thee of the back frame than the upper for the [mrpose of allowing the sliding eroteh and rotating breeeh to recede when the said breech is retracred from the barrel. A little distance back from the look-frame, and on the lower side of it, is a. stad and mortise, 14, to which the txigger 8 is attaelned; also a iong mortise, 15, throngh wl1ioh the link D passes. On the upper side of the look-frame, and o"er the trigger, is a stud and mortise, 16', throngh whieh the hammer passes, and to whiel1 it is attaehed,

G represents the barrel-plate, to the upper part, 17, of Which the barrel is attaohed with its back end projeoting thronglr it to meet the ohambers of the rotating breeeh. At the eenter of the plate is a hole, 18, through which the bolt which forms the axis of the rotatng breeeh passes. A little below and one side of the center is a hole, 19, where the cartridges or powder and halls are entered to the chambers of the rotating breeoh. At the lower part of it the stads and morhise 20 are made, to whieh the axis of the guard-lever is attaehed. On the back fase of it and the part whiel1 comes next to the ehambersof the rotating breeoh is tixed a spring, 21, the end of whieh presses against the front fase of the rotating breeoh, and whioh serves to press the from the barrel, thus leaving the breeoh free to be rotated. I: also serves to prevent; the rotating breeeh 'rom furning baekward when the sliding eroteh is forced up by the end of it operating against; the eireular ratchet made on the front fase of the rotating breech. On the periphery and near l1e back end of the rotatng breeoh are six reeesses, (marked 22,) in which are made the touch-holes leading to the chambers of the rotating breech. Tl1e said 1ecesses are made to receive eaol1 a disk, one side of whieh is covered with percussion-powder. The said disks are to be pressedinto the recesses with the side on whieh the percussion-powder is placed to come in contact with the tonch-holes for the purpose of priming.

By using disks for priming instead of percnssion-eaps the rotatng breeoh is not liable to be clogged by particles of oopper blowing off from the priming, so that the breeeh will not rotate, as is the case when caps are nsed, and the reeesses in which the disks are placed will prevent Iateral fire, so that: when a disk is exploded the fire fron1 i; eannot; communicate With those whioh are contgnons.

T0 load a fire-arm tl1ns constructed, draw down the gnard-lever so as to bring the hamm er to the l12llf-COCk, whioh will cause the rotating breeeh to be retracted from the barrel, and left free to be rotated toward the right by the hand, so that each ehamber may be loaded by turning t totl1e hole 19 in the barrelplate. This being done and the chambers loaded, plaee thedisks in the recesses and press them in tight.

Wha'IJ we claim as onr invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The eonstrnotion of the sliding crotel1, substantially as desoribed, to enable in to perform the double purpose of revolving the breech and wedging it up against the barrel, and the combination of the sliding erotch and guard lever, constrneted and arranged as specified, by Whioh the breeech is rotatzed, wedged forward, and the gun oocked by one motion back and forward of the trigger-guard or its equivalent, substantially as above deseribed.

Middletown, Connectieut, Mareh 30, A. D.

HENRY S. NORTH. GHAUNOEY D. SKINNER.

In presenee of- Esoon C. FERRE, J ONATHAN BARNES.

breech and croteh back 

